Chelsea Green Publishing Co

At the heart of Africulture is an aspect of history that will surprise, challenge, and enrich: the fact that without African expertise and innovation, American agriculture and America itself would not exist. This book is an eclectic brew of history, culture, African-centered perspectives, and African American farm realities; inspiring stories of innovators such as Henry Blair and Dr. George Washington Carver; and sobering facts such as the severe decline in Black farmers over the last century. Descriptions of tropical crops, from cotton to Nigerian spinach, that author Michael Carter, Jr. grows on his fifth-generation family farm in Virginia enliven the text, as will anecdotes from his compelling family history and sidebars on contemporary Black chefs and farmers. The life cycle of a plant is used as a metaphor for both individual growth and the larger story of African American farming. The author also evokes the relationship between soil health (metaphorically, society and community) and plant health (i.e., the ability of Black farmers and families to thrive). Africulture practices include no-till methods, organic growing, solarization, limited outside inputs, climate-smart practices, and regenerative agriculture. Woven into the narrative as well are Africulture principles including: As Above, So Below; ecological balance; stewardship; holistic value; preparation for seven generations; and cooperative economics.

More and more people are turning to herbal remedies for healing, whether they are purchasing the remedies or making them on their own. Herbalists want their clients to have good experiences with these remedies, both to help them heal and to foster a positive regard for herbs and the healing power of nature by extension. This in-depth guide teaches readers all aspects of making herbal medicines with respect, care, and understanding that are as safe, efficacious, and accurate as possible, and will provide detailed step-by-step instructions to guide even the most inexperienced or anxious medicine maker. The how-to information will be backed up with thorough 'why-to' explanations so that herbalists can confidently move from following the recipes of others to designing and preparing their own recipes. Individual chapters will address making herbal extractions in water, oils and fats, alcohol, vinegar, honey, glycerin, and other media. In addition, Bancroft devotes chapters to the roles of fermentation and distillation in medicine making. Herbal Pharmacy will also cover all the practical aspects of administering herbal remedies: figuring dosage, duration of care, and the specifics of deciding how to apply a remedy to produce the best outcome. A chapter on apothecary management rounds out the book, which is sure to be hailed as the standard modern reference for herbal medicine making.

How do some plants live for thousands of years? Which adaptations and evolutionary strategies allow them to thrive in some of the harshest places on the planet for so long—and so well? Renowned plantsman, author, and longtime botanical garden designer Christopher Woods takes readers on a popular science exploration of twenty-three of the world’s most amazing species, seeking answers to these questions by explaining their incredible survival mechanisms. Woods emphasizes how human cultures have interacted with plants over time and what we may, critically, be able to learn from them about sustainability in extreme climates. Some species will be familiar to readers, while some are outright surprising—such as the aptly named Welwitschia mirabilis, which lives happily in the Namib Desert for up to two thousand years, although many of those years receive zero precipitation. With over two hundred color images and lively, accessible text, In Botanical Time highlights fascinating facts about each charismatic plant, encouraging conservation for these species and leading us toward larger lessons about the rapidity with which humans have caused—and are causing—species to adapt. "Woods' compassion for these trees, shrubs, and herbaceous wonders shines on every page."—AHS American Gardener Magazine

Wild Folk comprises seven richly illustrated fables of transformation and power, summoned from the ancient stones beneath our feet and transformed by word and image into portals between past and future. These tales from the stones are neither new nor old. They are full of wild folk , shape-shifting spirits that carry the energy that connects all things. You will meet selkies and silver trout and the black fox, as big as a wolf and so fast and cunning she drives the lord of the manor to madness and oblivion; the woman of flowers who is happier living as an owl; the boy who learns to feel the songs and stories of trees through his skin; Wayland, the smith who can hammer metal to such airy thinness he makes his own wings; and the great white raven, a bird so rare it awakens the king who sleeps beneath the stones of the wild west cliffs of Wales. This book brings together the words of Jackie Morris and the stained-glass paintings of Tamsin Abbott, but the stories come from both, a true collaboration born out of friendship and hope. These are tales to make you see, listen and most of all feel the wild magic that links stone, tree, fox and star.

This insightful and practical guide for the lay reader explores the deep, interwoven web of the mycelial network from the perspective of whole human health. In Chapter One, we discover what mushrooms tell us about how to be in right relationship with the natural world, with other people, and with the spiritual world. In the chapters that follow, we explore our direct relationship with these mushrooms, with detailed information on how to grow them in both outdoor and indoor settings. We also learn how to preserve and ingest mushrooms as food and medicine. In the book's final chapter, we take a deeper dive into fourteen species of medicinal mushrooms to learn their stories, their way of living, and what they have revealed to science. Medicinal Mushroom Profiles include: Cordyceps * Amadou * Birch Polypore * Reishi * Maitake * Lion's Mane * Chaga * Milky Cap * Shiitake * Medicinal Molds * Oyster * Psychoactive Mushrooms * Split Gill * Turkey Tail

An integrated and personalized approach to health, nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset!Perfect for personal trainers, sports science students, fans of high level fitness (crossfit, marathon training, iron man, team sports) and gym heads! There is a new revolution happening in sports as more and more athletes are basing their success on this game-changing combination: health, nutrition, training, recovery, and mindset. Unfortunately, the evidence-based techniques that the expert PhDs, academic institutions, and professional performance staffs follow can be in stark contrast to what many athletes actually practice. When combined with the noise of social media, old-school traditions, and bro-science, it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. Peak is a groundbreaking book exploring the fundamentals of high performance (not the fads), the importance of consistency (not extreme effort), and the value of patience (not rapid transformation). Dr. Marc Bubbs makes deep science easy to understand, and with information from leading experts who are influencing the top performers in sports on how to achieve world-class success, he lays out the record-breaking feats of athleticism and strategies that are rooted in this personalized approach. Dr. Bubbs’s performance protocol is for the elite athlete, active individual, strength coach, nutritionist, or practitioner who wants to expand their potential by:• Connecting the importance of sleep, digestion, the athlete microbiome, and blood glucose control metrics• Creating personalized deep nutrition strategies for building muscle, burning fat, or “making weight” for competition • Rethinking nutrition specifically for team sports • Learning how elite endurance athletes fuel, including training techniques to boost performance• Applying the new science of recovery that enhances performance • Emphasizing the tremendous role of emotional intelligence and mindset in overcoming roadblocks and achieving athletic success (the next frontier in performance) • Analyzing the qualities of elite leaders and how to develop them authentically Dr. Bubbs expertly brings together the worlds of health, nutrition, and exercise and synthesizes the salient science into actionable guidance. Regardless if you’re trying to improve your physique, propel your endurance, or improve your team’s record, looking at performance through this lens is absolutely critical for lasting success. "A must-read . . . Peak is an immeasurable tool for becoming the best you can be!”-Kelly Olynyk, forward, Miami Heat, NBA

A recommended "bird-related book to give this season" by The Washington PostFrom our own backyards to the rim of the Arctic ice, countless birds have adapted to meet the challenges of the winter season. This is their remarkable story, told by award-winning birder and acclaimed writer Pete Dunne, accompanied by illustrations from renowned artist and birder David Sibley.Despite the seasonal life-sapping cold, birds have evolved strategies that meet winter?s vicissitudes head on, driven by the imperative to make it to spring and pass down their genes to the next generation. The drama of winter and the resilience and adaptability of birds witnessed in the harsher months of the calendar is both fascinating and astonishing.In The Courage of Birds, Pete Dunne?winner of the American Birding Association?s Roger Tory Peterson Award for lifetime achievement in promoting the cause of birding?chronicles the behavior of the birds of North America. He expertly explores widespread adaptations, such as feathers that protect against the cold, and unpacks the unique migration patterns and survival strategies of individual species. Dunne also addresses the impact of changing climatic conditions on avian longevity and recounts personal anecdotes that soar with a naturalist?s gimlet eye.Filled with unforgettable facts, wit, and moving observations on the natural world, Dunne?s book is for everyone; from the serious birder who tracks migration patterns, to the casual birder who logs daily reports on eBird, to the backyard observer who throws a handful of seed out for the Northern Cardinals and wonders how the birds magically appear in the garden when temperatures begin to fall.Praise for Pete Dunne?Dunne?s prose is lyrical, sensitive, and full of feeling.??Ted Floyd, editor, Birding ?Pete is arguably North America?s best and best-known birder?and he?s also a terrific writer.??Scott Shalaway, author and former syndicated nature columnistPraise for David Sibley?There are 47 million birdwatchers. But there is only one David Sibley. . . . He is a boon to both the birding world and the art world.??The National Audubon Society?[His] exacting artwork and wide-ranging expertise bring observed behaviors vividly to life.??Birdwatching

In the years following her role as the lead author of the international bestseller, Limits to Growth the first book to show the consequences of unchecked growth on a finite planet Donella Meadows remained a pioneer of environmental and social analysis until her untimely death in 2001. Thinking in Systems , is a concise and crucial book offering insight for problem solving on scales ranging from the personal to the global. Edited by the Sustainability Institutes Diana Wright, this essential primer brings systems thinking out of the realm of computers and equations and into the tangible world, showing readers how to develop the systems-thinking skills that thought leaders across the globe consider critical for 21st-century life. Some of the biggest problems facing the worldwar, hunger, poverty, and environmental degradationare essentially system failures. They cannot be solved by fixing one piece in isolation from the others, because even seemingly minor details have enormous power to undermine the best efforts of too-narrow thinking. While readers will learn the conceptual tools and methods of systems thinking, the heart of the book is grander than methodology. Donella Meadows was known as much for nurturing positive outcomes as she was for delving into the science behind global dilemmas. She reminds readers to pay attention to what is important, not just what is quantifiable, to stay humble, and to stay a learner. In a world growing ever more complicated, crowded, and interdependent, Thinking in Systems helps readers avoid confusion and helplessness, the first step toward finding proactive and effective solutions.